Building unit and construction



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION April 2, 1940.

INVENTOR Hen/"g CT Monk/750m BY W ATTORNEY April 2,1940. H. c. MORTENSONBUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION s Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1959INVENTOR Hen/"g CMor/enson I W W ATTORNEY April 2, 1940- r H. c.MORTENSON BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION Filed June 5, 1939 sSheets-Sheet s T E NM m C M w my #5 Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED 'srl'rl-zs PATENT OFFICE BUILDING UNIT AND CONSTRUCTION Henry. 0.1Mortenson,Redwood .City, Calif. Application. was, 1939, Serial No. 277,404 7realms. (o1. its-'85), Q

My invention relates to means for erecting building structures,preferably from a plurality of prefabricated or partially prefabricated.units. I

It is an object of myinvention to building unit which is exteriorly andinteriorly finished prior to erection.

Another object of myinvention is to provide a building unit having aporcelain enamel surface finish, yet which is fabricated by welding.

Another object of my invention is to provide a building unit which has agreat deal of inherent strength and stiffnessfor its weight. I

A further object of my invention isto provide a building unit ofsubstantially standard characteristics, a plurality of whichcan beassembled to provide a building construction.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a buildingconstructionmade up or a plurality of substantially standardized,prefabricated panels.

The foregoing and other objects are attained. in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the drawings, in which p Fig. l is a sideelevationoiv a building constructed in accordance with my invention;

i Fig. 2 is a cross-section to an enlarged scale, the plane of which isindicated by the line 2-4 ofFial;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structureshown mFig-Z; L

Fig. 4- is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line4-4 of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line5-5 of Fig. l; v

Fig. 6 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line1-1 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line8-8, of Fig. 1/

Fig. 9 is a cross section showing a means of' fastening an interiorfinishing panel'to thestructure.

provide a In its preferred form, thebuilding construc turesof numerousand variecl forms, they have found successful utilization in a servicestation building substantially of the design shown in the drawings,which is provided with an overhanging roof 6 and the usual Wallsincluding side =6 walls 1. While, because of the cantilever oroverhanging characteristics of the roof portion 6,

it is advisable to provide a supporting truss structure 8 constituting aplurality of structural shapes suitably arranged and fastened, the sidewall 1 shows atypical arrangement of building units in accordance withmy invention which require no particular additional structural-shapereinforcements but are in themselves sufficiently rigid and strong tosupport the weight of the superposed structure.

'The wall 1 includes a window panel ID, a

plain panel Sand a door panel i I, each of which is fabricatedsubstantially in accordance with the general scheme but which hasindividual variations. A basic arrangement is that of the panel 9 whichis. shown in horizontal cross-section in Fig. 2 and in verticalcross-section in Fig.

4. This panel isconstituted by an exterior surface pan I2 which ispreferably of rectangular shape having inturned flanges 13 on all fouredges thereof. The material of the pan i2 is enameling iron, since,accordance with my invention, I

therein. The perforations afford means for providing one or more of thewelds IS at substantially each of the pair of contacting zones betweenthe undulatory strip and the outer pan l2. Because of the undulatorycharacter of the strip, when the pan i2 is subsequently'treated toprovide the porcelain enamel surfaces, including a baking operation athigh temperature, the mass of the undulatory strip is so slight as notto cause warning of the surface of the pan l2.

In order to impart to the structure a great deal more strength than canbe obtained from the pan I! by itself, I positionsubstantially adjacentthe pan a corrugated sheet 2! and I arrange the corrugations inwhichever direction will be of the'greatest assistance in resisting thestresses which are to be imposed upon the sheet. That is to say; thecorrugations 2l'can runeither horiel baking operation is permittedwithout intro-- ducing permanent superficial irregularities intotheexternal pan 52.

As a final closure and added stiffening member, I can, if desired,introduce a planar sheet between the shapes l4 and tack-Weld it to thecorrugated sheet 2! in order to provide a smooth interior surface, butthis is not essential for most installations and can readily be omittedif desired.

The building unit fabricated of the corrugated sheets 2| welded to theenameled sheets through the medium of sinuous strips ll and reinforcedon the edges by structural shapes it is incorporated with other units oflike character to provide the building. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4,adjacent the i2 is a ccinparable par. 26 the flanges 2'! of which abutthe flanges 13 or substantially so. Space intervening the structuralshape M of the pan l2 and the corresponding structural shape 28 of thepan 2% may be filled with a water-proof filler, such as plastic cement29, whereas the edges of the structural shapes M and 28 are connectedtogether into a permanent structure by welding 31. While the buildingpanels themselves are prefabricated and are merely assembled at the siteof the finished structure, the introduction of plastic cement and theperformance of the operation to produce Welds may be wholly or in partconducted as the units are erected.

To facilitate the erection operation, some of the units may be providedon some of their edges not with relatively light straps i l or 28 butrather with relatively heavy angle-irons '32 and 33, or can be providedwith relatively heavy straps 3'3 and 35. If the angle-irons 32 and 32are utilized. preferably there is welded to each of them at anappropriate interval a standard bolt 3? adapted to pierce an aperture inthe adjacent strap or 38 so that when a nut 38 of standard variety istightened upon the bolt the panels are held in closely adjacentposition. A washer 3% can be interposed between the angles and thestraps in order to prevent twisting strains thereupon as the fasteningis tightened; and the same type of waterproof plastic cement 4! can beintroduced into the joint to keep out moisture.

The bolted joint especially disclosed in Fig. 2 is utilized wherever thepanels are sufficiently large as to be substantially of maximum size forhandling, whereas the welded joint, as shown in Fig. 4, is utilizedeither for permanently asseinbling such relatively large panels in thefield or, where a plurality of smaller pans such as It and 26 are to befactory assembled, the welding is utilized to constitute a plurality ofsuch pans into a panel large enough for field welding or bolting. Thislatter variation is shown particularly in the center panel il in which aplurality of pens are utilized, each of them being, for example, adifferent color. That is, the lowermost pan 42 may be one color, theintermediatepan 43 may be another color, the pan der such conditions(see Fig. which as to this portion is substantially a duplil2 stillanother color, and the uppermost pan 26 still a difierent color. Thefour pans l2, 43 and 42 together are factory welded with joints such asshown in Fig. 4, to constitute a single panel which is held in place onthe job and is permanently connected by the bolted arrange ment as shownin Fig. 2.

Adjacent a corner of the building, for example the rear corner, asomewhat different form of connection may be provided, since in most instances the rear wall of the structure is of cheaper character than theremaining part, and the exterior surface may not be porcelain enamel butmay bepaint or a comparable finish. Un-

a panel Ii,

cate oithe panel 3 in that it terminates in strap is fastened by a nut52 to a bolt connected by welding to an angle 53 included in p a cornerstructure. This angle clamps in position the inturned member 56 of anelongated flange 5'6 extending from the outer plate 5'5 of the rearpanel 58. The panel 5%? is illustrated as of the corrugated, reinforcedporcelain-enameled type, but if desired the exterior sheet 57 may benotenameled but simply painted. In either case it is but necessary toposition the panel 58 with the angle 53 in juxtaposition w th the. strap35 in the panel ll and to tighten the nut 5!, plastic cement 59 beininterposed in the joint and the final connection being made by welding6i. I

As an alternative corner arrangement, there may be provided theconstruction. shown in Fig. 6 in which panel 62 on the sideof thestructure is connectedtc acomparable panel on the front thereof. Thesepanels are constructed of exterior enameled pans E54 and. 56,respectively, which have elongated, inturned flanges 61 and 6B thereonreinforced by straps and H, respectively. These straps are suitablysecured together by a bolt "12 and a nut '53 and include water-proofplastic cement l4 and a final weld it to secure the union.

Adjacent openings, such as a window '5"? or a door 18, the constructionis preferably that illustrated in Fig. 8, in which the pans "l9 and 3!included in the panels 1' or H provided with elongated inturned flanges82 and respectively, which are secured by welding .s-i to elongatedstraps 8'5 and Bl, preferably entirely surrounding the opening forreinforcement purposes.

Where such an opening is glazed, the construction is substantially thatillustrated in'Fig. 7 wherein the panels E2 and 88 are abut'tcd. Thepanel 88 for the most part is of substantially standard fabrication, butadjacent its edges is provided with elongated, inturned flanges 8.9 and9i. The flange Bl is reinforced by a strap 92 comparable to the straps8%? and El but carries a glass support 53 secured thereto against aspacer 94 with waterproof plastic G6 interposed in the spacertherebetween. A panel'dl is mountedin the holder Adjacent the flange 85a reinforcing shape 98, such as an angle iron, is secured and isprovided with a spacing strap It'll. To the strap is secured a glassholder I02 held in place against the spacer lfii with waterproof plasticcement 1H3 inthe intervening space. A plate of glass Hi l is mounted inthe holder I02.

As a way of finishing the interior of the structure, especially astructure in which an exterior wall 'Hll' has an inturned horizontalstrap I88 planar exterior pan having inturned edges and thereon, Ipreferably provide the detachable panel I09 which is inclusive of aflanged outer sheet Hi having a corrugated inner sheet H2 securedthereto. H2 particularly by welding is a spring clip H3 representativeof a plurality of such spring clips,

each of which is effective to enter into an aperture i It piercing thestrap I08, so that while the weightof the panel 869 is borne by theflanges H4 on the strap [08, the position of the panel is secured-by thespring clips H3. The panel is readily assembled by simply positioning itadjacent its location and then forcing it toward the exterior panel Hi1.Similarlythe interior panel I09 is readily removed if desired or can bepermanently anchored in place.

With the arrangement described, a building such as is illustrated can beconstructed of a plurality of individual panels, the panels beingassembled at the side of the structure and being either permanentlybolted or bolted and welded into assembled position with the intersticestherebetween filled with a plastic waterproof cement so that thestructure is permanently weathertight. Each of the panels is preferablyconstituted'of a plurality of units, such particularly as is illustratedin Figs. 2 and "3. Each of these constitutes an exterior pan capable ofreceiving a porcelain-enamel exterior coating and including a corrugatedsheet attached thereto by the medium of a sinuous strip so that thepanel. itself is adequately strong for all structural purposes yet theconstruction is such that the enameling operation does not unduly warpthe various masses of metal. After the enameling operation,

' the cooling of the parts leaves the enameled surthe major componentsthereof.

face planar and free of unsightly ripples and irregularities.

Since the building as constructed in accordance with my invention isitself adequately strong 1. A building unit comprising a generallyFastened to the inner sheet' adapted to receive a baked enamel finish, asinuous perforated strip spot-welded to said pan, and a corrugated sheetdisposed within said pan and spot-welded to said strip.

2. A building unit comprising a pan having a baked enamel finish, acorrugated sheet adjacent said pan, and'a sinuous strip interposedbetween said corrugated sheet and said pan and welded to each of them.

3. A building unit comprising a rectangular flanged pen, a corrugatedsheet disposed within said pan, a sinuous strip interposed between saidsheet and said pan, and welded connections between said strip and saidsheet and between said sheet and said pan.

4.,A building unit comprising a flanged pan,

5. A building unitcornprising a panel consti tuted of a plurality of,flanged pans, structural I shapes constituting frames for said pans,welded connections between said shapes, corrugated sheets in said pans,and means including interposed strips for affording Welded connectionsbetween said pans and said sheets.

6. A building unit comprising a panel constituted of a plurality offlanged pans, structural shapes constituting frames for said pans,welded connections between said'shapes, waterproof material between saidshapes, reinforcing sheets within said pans, connecting strips betweensaid reinforcing sheets and said pans, and welded connections betweensaid strips and said sheetsand said pans.

7. A building unit comprising a panel constituted of a plurality offlanged pans, structural shapes constituting frames for said pans,secondary structural shapes included in said panel,

reinforcing sheets for said pans, means for indirectly welding saidsheets and said pans together, and fastening means engaging saidsecondary structural shapes for engagement with a similar panel.

- HENRY C. MORTENSON.

